Absolute nuts-on consistency. Loves being shot out of my stuff ranging from 16 inch 1:12 to 24 inch 1:7 barrels.
Knocks the snot outa tree rats to skunk pigs and will end a coyote and larger too if needed.

Readily available - current emergency not withstanding - and at a price keeping me away from the reloading press.

Forgot to note: .223

Bruno2

May 6, 2013, 11:55 PM

What kind of varmint??

Whichever is your favorite.

Bruno2

May 6, 2013, 11:59 PM

I like 223 and 22-250. They will kill just about anything and are fun to load and shoot too. For softer stuff like most things smaller than a coyote I will use a V-Max, but I use everything. I tried some SX stuff , but the jackets are so thin you have to slow the bullet down to keep them together. My favorite bullets are made by Sierra.

mljdeckard

May 7, 2013, 12:01 AM

22-250. But I'm bumping up to .243 as well.

limpingbear

May 7, 2013, 12:02 AM

6BR with 62 grain varmint grenades.....critter everywhere.

Bruno2

May 7, 2013, 12:06 AM

Lmpingbear, I have a box of Barnes Varmint grenades , but I haven't loaded any of them yet. Can you run max charges with those?

rcmodel

May 7, 2013, 12:07 AM

Whichever is your favorite.Well O.K. then.

.22 or .38 Special birdshot for mice, rats, & snakes in the barn.
.177 air rifle for tree rats (squirrels) in the garden.
22-250 for coyotes.
.223 or 22-250 for Prairie dogs.
30-06 for hogs in the pond and cow pasture.

Then there is the occasional elephant.
450 Nitro Express double, or .460 bolt gun.
Now that's a destructive varmint in certain parts of the world.
Just not in my part of the world.

Like I said.
You need to be more specific!

rc

allaroundhunter

May 7, 2013, 12:52 AM

What caliber for Toto,RC? :D

Last feral dog that I killed got hammered by my .308 ;)

planetmobius

May 7, 2013, 12:53 AM

22 long rifle. It's forced me to be a good stalker and a good shot.

jstein650

May 7, 2013, 12:55 AM

rc, those elephants play hell with my tomato patch, c'mon!

I've used an '06 with max'd out 125gr TNT's. Pretty much vaporize whatever you're aiming at, but by the time I recover from the blast, I sometimes forget what I was aiming at!

Seriously, a .223 with a good top load with a 50gr TNT, VMax, BlitzKing, or pretty much any HP or varmint SP like a Hornady SX, will make for a very bad day for most critters up to coyote or so.

rcmodel

May 7, 2013, 01:04 AM

What caliber for Toto,RC? Toto's are a wuss.

They can be pesky, but are easily handled.
Very few people who are not from Kansas know about their weakness.
You can grab them by the bow-tie and choke them out if you are not armed.

You grab them by the neck-tie and the old rotten things rip right off leaving you holding a stick in the ground and looking like a Kansas country bumpkin!

Been there done that more then once while out cow-tipping late at night I can tell ya!

rc

Bruno2

May 7, 2013, 01:05 AM

I am going to build another 25-06 pretty soon. However, I have a couple of 22 match guns I need to finish and a couple of AR stripped lowers too. I used to have a savage 2-06 with a heavy barrel. I wish I would have kept it. I will probably have Savage build one at their custom shop.

I shot a crow with a V max out of that gun when I was a lot younger and it blew that thing to smithereens. I went to look for the carcass and all I could find was like a beak and part of a foot. I remember pulling my head off of the scope and seeing a big cloud of black feathers.

Bruno2

May 7, 2013, 01:08 AM

Very few people who are not from Kansas know about their weakness.
You can grab them by the bow-tie and choke them out if you are not armed.

Like the Muslim Terrorists. You sneak up on them while they are taking a drink. Then slam the toilet seat down and it breaks their necks. Quick and humane!

Texan Scott

May 7, 2013, 01:11 AM

22lr and 410 #6.

morcey2

May 7, 2013, 01:24 AM

7x57. Cause that's the most appropriate one that I have now. 110 speer TNT HP @ 3100 fps.
257 bob will probably take over when it gets here. Then the 6mm Rem. Or 22-250. When they get done.

Matt

Bruno2

May 7, 2013, 01:26 AM

Speer makes a nice product.

montanaoffroader

May 7, 2013, 01:28 AM

.22 LR for me, taken lots of squirrels and gophers with it. Been fiddling around with a .223 lately, the ammo shortage has slowed that a bit. The shortage hit before I had a chance to stock up on stuff for the new rifle.

I have plenty of other ammo on hand, just very little .223 ammo and no components for reloading it. Once thing ease up a bit I'll get back on track and maybe work up a few decent loads.

leprechaun50

May 7, 2013, 05:49 AM

22-250 is my favorite.

dakotasouth

May 7, 2013, 08:03 AM

My first center fire rifle was a .22-250 and it worked well on everything from prarie dogs to coyotes. It still does.

303tom

May 7, 2013, 09:02 AM

I would have to say my .25-06 Rem. or my .243 Win..................

Bruno2

May 7, 2013, 10:31 AM

Both of hose are great rounds. Some people believe the 25-06 is inefficient and may be , but it does a good job.

witchhunter

May 7, 2013, 10:35 AM

Took my .220 Swift Ackley Improved to the dog towns yesterday. It was impressive with a 50 Vmax smokin along at about 4000 fps. The .223, .22/250, .17 Rem, .218 Bee .221 Fireball, and .22 hornet are just as deadly, within their respective ranges. But the Swift is king of the .22 centerfires.

Certaindeaf

May 7, 2013, 10:44 AM

I really like a 4" .357 magnum for varmints. You can blow them up or smash through a lot of meat and bone, depending on the critter. For reaching out a ways,.. never mind, they're all good, they're varmints!

Patocazador

May 7, 2013, 10:52 AM

I have a .17 Rem, .221 Fireball, and a .22-250. The .22-250 is the best all around with windy and distant shots. The .17 is the most fun.

Jim, West PA

May 7, 2013, 12:07 PM

Mine is the .220 Swift.
( i built and extensively tested all manner of .22 caliber rifles and cartriges )( yes, i did the same with .284's, .308's, 6mm's and .270 )
I went to great lengths to build a single shot, FULL Bbl, tight chambered,mounted in a custom composite stock, ( long before composit stockes were the 'norm' ), extreeeeeeemly accurate .220 Swift that was launchin a 52gr. BTHP @ 4100 fps 18 years ago. I topped it with a Bausch and Lomb 6x24.
On whistledeeks i had to take headshots when hunting places where they needed to be disposed of. Body shots just left too many parts to clean up.

Majority of shooters just don't get it and handloaders that aren't into 'building' ammo for one , aren't....well....real handloaders :neener:

But the Swift is king of the .22 centerfires.

whitchhunter gits it.;)

I've even dropped white tails with it at 200 yards. And i mean..DROPPED 'em.

I also had a hand or two, into building a .22-.284. Tons of work makin brass and loading it. And, pushin a 52gr .224 at close to 5000 fps makes for ridiculously short throat and Bbl life.

Geno

May 7, 2013, 03:40 PM

I've had good results with the following:

.22LR
.223 Rem
.22-250 Rem
6mm Rem
.25-06 Rem
.257 Wea Mag
.270 Win

I haven't taken any varmints yet with my .308 Win.

Geno

Teachu2

May 7, 2013, 05:20 PM

.22-250 was my first varmint gun, and I currently have four of them. I have several other calibers, but my first choice is usually a .22-250.

Beentown

May 7, 2013, 06:54 PM

.308 on windier days...368 yards on this one I believe

http://i524.photobucket.com/albums/cc329/beentown71/hog1.jpg

.223 most other times...

http://i524.photobucket.com/albums/cc329/beentown71/session22.jpg

Rem700CDLSF3006

May 7, 2013, 06:57 PM

agree with witchhunter the 220 Swift is king of the varmint cartridges

For most vermin nowdays, a.223 of some sort is usually my go to.
Unless the vermin seems too big or too far for that, then it's..... Whatever works best..

HOOfan_1

May 7, 2013, 08:38 PM

.22-250 doesn't leave much left of a groundhog

MCgunner

May 7, 2013, 09:03 PM

I don't shoot long range. If .22LR won't do, my .22 WMR will. :D Of course, some call the .257 Roberts a varmint round, but all I've ever shot with it are deer and hogs.

mnhntr

May 7, 2013, 09:11 PM

.223/5.56 because ammo is normally cheap and easy to find. Good to hit coyotes out to 600+ yds. Chambered in my favorite varmint rifle, the AR15.

beatledog7

May 7, 2013, 09:56 PM

The ubiquitous 22LR works for lots of varmints. For whatever it won't reliably kill, there's the .223 Remington. It's plenty fast and flat without being a barrel burner.

3212

May 7, 2013, 10:13 PM

A one caliber hunter,I hunt groundhogs in the summer and deer in the fall with a .243.

MCgunner

May 7, 2013, 10:14 PM

Hmm, no one mentioned the .17 or .22 Hornet? I've always thought a 10" .22 Hornet barrel for my TC Contender would be fun. I may get one, yet. :D

witchhunter

May 7, 2013, 10:19 PM

The Swift is still King! I have been looking at the .223 WSSM ballistics though...but I have a ton of faith in the .220, I have owned a couple, shotem out and rebarreled em, they all just shoot great. You don't get the barrel life you do with a .222, but you get the accuracy and the speed, ah the speed....the Ackley version solves the brass stretching.....

Cueball

May 8, 2013, 12:43 AM

I use a 204 Ruger for ground hogs out to 400+ yards (off a bench, or one of those field pods) and my 270WSM for anything beyond that

Mat, not doormat

May 8, 2013, 02:21 AM

.222 Remington. That's my ground hog rifle. It's accurate, efficient, and easy to find bullets for. ( Brass, not so much,) and best of all, it was my grandpa's rifle. Been killing whistle pigs for pretty near sixty years.

Sent from my C771 using Tapatalk 2

Kachok

May 8, 2013, 02:39 AM

243 is one tough customer in the varmint department, it can easly match the 22-250's ballistics downrange and can sling 100gr pills for larger varmint (aka hogs) The 25-06 is a superb dual purpose hunting rifle/splader cannon but many would say that it is simply too excessive for a purpose built varmint gun.

Loyalist Dave

May 8, 2013, 09:38 AM

I like 60 grains of 3Fg pushing a patched .380 round ball from my .40 caliber flintlock on groundhogs. Hammers them out to 100 yards. :D

LD

MCgunner

May 8, 2013, 10:28 AM

Ah, Dave, a man I can identify with. :D

243 is one tough customer in the varmint department, it can easly match the 22-250's ballistics downrange and can sling 100gr pills for larger varmint (aka hogs) The 25-06 is a superb dual purpose hunting rifle/splader cannon but many would say that it is simply too excessive for a purpose built varmint gun.

Well, between these two, there IS the .257 Roberts and the .250-3000, ya know. Both are efficient rounds and they would be appropriate medicine on long range yotes IMHO. I don't do yotes unless they're trying to raid my chickens at night and then I have a light on my .22 mag's scope, just pontificating on the .25s. :D

Jim, West PA

May 8, 2013, 12:13 PM

I like 60 grains of 3Fg pushing a patched .380 round ball from my .40 caliber flintlock on groundhogs. Hammers them out to 100 yards

That's good stuff there Dave. I'm fixin to do my dirtpig shootin with my .36 Seneca this summer.;)

Used to be a die hard .223 guy because the ammo was cheap and available. Now,,,not so much! So I think I'm switching over to the .22-250. I like the .243 a bunch too but it is rough on soft critters like coyotes and bobcats. I guess a .22-250 is to though..

In all honesty I think a .308 with 165 gr or 180 gr bullets is pretty decent cote medicine and with a decent bullet not as tough on the hide as many hyper little .22's and 6mm's. For volume prairie dog shooting it's pretty tough to be a good .22 CF.

Byron

May 8, 2013, 10:33 PM

22 rimfire magnum.It is very accurate.It has a quiter report.My shots are under 125 yards.

limpingbear

May 8, 2013, 11:12 PM

Bruno,
I don't always run the varmint grenades to max velocity (though you can quite easily) I work up a load the gun throws best. Now running VG'c out of my H&R 223 I max load the 36 grainers and I can hit dimes at 100 no problem. They really make a mess out of prairie dogs....

NEAL39

May 9, 2013, 12:20 AM

85 grain sierra boat tail .243 for ground squirrels = "Red Mist."
12 gauge shotgun with OO buckshot for feral dog that chased me --- once.
.38 special with Speer shot cartridges for a lot of rats in my wood pile.
.25 ACP for pesky old telephone books. Three at a time. (Saves time and ammo.)

Liberty1776

May 9, 2013, 12:25 AM

My favorite is 22-250, but I usually use .223 because I have so much more of it.

back in the day, the triple-deuce out to 150 yards, 225 winchester out to 350 yards, 220 swift and 6mm remington past 350. the swift was better out to 400 yards. the 6mm best over 500.

good times shooting chucks back in western pa.

murf

toiville2feathers

May 11, 2013, 03:29 PM

I have a whole safe full of varmint guns, but I have two that are in a tie as my #1 favorite, they are equally awesome guns.
257 Roberts AI with 75 gr Hornaday hollow points
243 Win AI with 65 grain V-max
On gophers and PD they create great RED MIST SOCIETY days, Coyotes are DRT and so are Deer and antelope with heavier bullets

merrill

May 12, 2013, 01:01 AM

.270W loaded with 110gr. Hornaday hollow points. Good for deer to groundhogs.

Nalgi

May 12, 2013, 12:10 PM

55 gr BT in .243

It will blow the heck out of anything out to 300 yds at 4000+ FPS :)

loose noose

May 12, 2013, 02:29 PM

I've used a Hornady 52 grn. A-Max in my TC Contender with the 14" barrel (.223) on coyotes out here and it stops them in there tracks, however there isn't near as many of them this year so I guess I'll just let 'em be.

However, a buddy of mine that lives up around Seligman, AZ, said there are a lot of Praire Dogs tearing up his property again, and would appreciate a little help in controlling them critters. So I guess my new AR-15 with the 20" Bull Barrel with the Sierra 55 Grn HP/BT should do the trick. I've got PD's out to 350 yards with my Weatherby in .223 a few years ago from a bench fairly consistently, not to blow my horn ya know.:D

Zeke/PA

May 14, 2013, 08:54 AM

My first center fire was an F.N. Mauser in .250-3000 Savage and it worked for deer and was poison on the local woodchucks, western coyotes and jackrabbits. Shot a turkey or two also.
Still have it and it shoots great especially with 87 Grain Hornadys.

This summer I'm hoping to get some coyote hunting in here in Ohio. Never done it before but I'll be taking out my AR. 223 will do for me. My train of thought is caliber choice 10% + good shot placement 90%= clean kill 100% of the time. For squirrel hunting I like my 12 ga. with low base shells and a tight choke. I used to like a 22lr but I don't feel comfortable shooting in the tree tops. It's great for shots angled towards the ground but I like the option for both ground and tree tops with the shotgun.
In my "opinion" one of the best varmint guns would be a Savage Model 24! Plenty of caliber and gauge combinations to suit most people! Savage has a new over under rifle/shotgun out but I think it's ugly! So I prefer the old model for that reason only!

tahunua001

May 14, 2013, 06:24 PM

22lr is good because it's cheap.
25-06 because it's accurate and flat shooting.
223 because nothing's as fun as an AR15.
7.62x39 because it's the cheaper closer range alternative to the 223.
45/70 because it's so versatile.
303brit because nothings more fun that watching a squirrel vaporize.
30-06 because (see 303 brit)
6.5 jap because my 6.5 is super accurate and it's the most recent for me.

dagger dog

May 18, 2013, 07:52 PM

Ain't no consarned varmint with in a hunnert yards that's under 75 # that can't be murdered with a 30 gr Barnes Varmint Grenade outta the smokin' end of a 22 Hornet.

Switch that to 300 yds and a 50gr BVG, for 150# and a red hot 223 Remington barrel.

But man I really got the hots for a 220 Swift , and a 17 Hornet and a 22-250 and a,OOPS there goes the savings!

j1

May 18, 2013, 08:07 PM

223, because it does the job real well.:)I

Lj1941

May 18, 2013, 08:12 PM

My Savage M-11 in 223 Rem is my present favorite.I had a. 225 Winchester previous to the 223. Difficulty in getting brass forced me to sell that.I really did not need the 225 here in PA.The 223 does everything I need. If I lived in prairy dog country I would get a 22-250.I started out with a 22 Hornet which would still be adequite. I did not handload at that time so I really never utilized it's potential.:evil:

ssyoumans

May 18, 2013, 09:12 PM

I shoot 58gr VMAX out of my 243 Win. My marlin XS7 loves this bullet, I push them to around 3,600 fps. Deadly, and accurate. Good on anything from ground rodents to coyotes. More reach than 223.

17 HMR / 22 Mag for under 125 yards
223 for up to 200 yards
243 for up to 300 yards for me.

witchhunter

May 19, 2013, 08:42 PM

SScoyote, thos dogs are huge! Out here in northern Cal, our pdogs are about the size of a redbull can! The Boone and Crocket models, a pepsi can. Oh, I bet the .17 contender is sweet. My current favorite is in .221 Fireball.

MARKMALL

May 21, 2013, 01:00 PM

For me its a 22 Hornet. It's quiet and gets the job done.

Certaindeaf

May 21, 2013, 03:56 PM

SScoyote, thos dogs are huge! Out here in northern Cal, our pdogs are about the size of a redbull can! The Boone and Crocket models, a pepsi can. Oh, I bet the .17 contender is sweet. My current favorite is in .221 Fireball.
I don't know where Lassen county is but I've shot prairie dogs around central imperial valley.. pretty much, where lots were about the size of a big loaf of bread.. and heavy!
I think they were old/mature momma's or something.

azgun

May 21, 2013, 05:38 PM

I really like the 223 for coyotes. For squirrels its a Savage 22 over 410

yzguy87

May 21, 2013, 10:25 PM

Any 50 bmg varmint hunters? Pics would be sweet!:D

bracer

May 21, 2013, 11:02 PM

Most all of my shooting is at prairie dogs. P dogs get nuzzle blast smart so I start in the spring with a 17HM2 RF then as they get smarter I use the 17 HMR RF, then the 17 Fireball followed by the 204 Ruger. By fall I may get out the 22-250, 220 Swift, and the 243 Winchester. When I have shot p dogs at 400 yards with the 243 other p dogs in the area get into their holes because of the loud muzzle blast .

Loyalist Dave

May 22, 2013, 09:57 AM

That's good stuff there Dave. I'm fixin to do my dirtpig shootin with my .36 Seneca this summer.

All we have here are are dirtpigs (groundhogs). No prarie dogs, and no classic gophers.

I tell folks my .40 flinter with a patched, round ball is my "hog rifle", and the "hogs" usually tumble backwards when hit, and I never need a second shot..., it takes a second but any hunter in the discussion picks up that I am talking ground-hogs, not delicious piggies.... :D

I have a nice, bull barrel handi-rifle in .223, and it's a tack driver, but not near as much fun as the flintlock.

LD

Rem700CDLSF3006

May 22, 2013, 09:40 PM

the KING of varmint cartridges the 1 and only 220 SWIFT

Certaindeaf

May 23, 2013, 12:34 AM

For a lazy man.

DCoke

May 23, 2013, 03:45 PM

My varmint calibers of choice are .22 and .204 Ruger. Both allow me to see what I hit through my scope without the recoil jump of the 22-250 or higher calibers. I can watch my targets either drop or explode (depending on the round fired).

CountryUgly

May 31, 2013, 11:13 AM

6mm Remington and then 22-250. Several different factors (game, weather and terrain) decides which one gets the nod for the day.

claiborne

May 31, 2013, 04:36 PM

19 Badger because it is so sweet and deadly and I can see my hits through the scope.
22-250 because sometimes the 19 is just a little too small.
223 because it was my first varmint caliber.

Bruno2

June 1, 2013, 02:21 AM

I have been kicking around an Ackley cut.

ARW

June 1, 2013, 07:30 AM

My current groundhog rifle is a 221 Fireball, 40gr. V-max at 3250fps.

I am heading out today to have a 22br chambered that I am hoping to get upwards to 4000fps out of the 40gr. V-max.

Pretty excited about that.

Alan

Deltaboy

June 1, 2013, 08:37 AM

22-250 it just works. 22 LR was and it my reach for first varmint round.

Bruno2

June 1, 2013, 10:35 AM

The 22-250 seems to be a staple as well as the 243 win. I still see plenty of 257 Bob shooters too.

cpt-t

June 1, 2013, 12:31 PM

I find my self using my CZ 22 HORNET & 17 REM, more all the time. And have grown very fond of both of them. The 22 HORNET takes care of 95 % of my Varmint Hunting needs, so I guess it is my favorite. ((( RIGHT NOW ))
ken

2ndtimer

June 1, 2013, 09:58 PM

My favorite Varmint rounds are the .223 Remington with 40 gr Nosler Ballistic Tips, or Varmageddon's, or Hornady Z-Max or V-Max's. Really like those 40 gr bullets at 3700 fps + and the ability to spot your own shots. Same with the 17 HMR, very good performance out to 200 yards on small gophers, etc. and quiet for more populated areas. Also zero recoil so you can see where your bullet hits without a spotter.

iShoot17

June 3, 2013, 03:20 PM

I would have to say the .22-250 is my first choice. I love the little round and the ballistics.

2nd- .243
3rd- .308

But since we are saying "varmint" round, I will stick with the .22-250.

jack44

June 3, 2013, 08:10 PM

.223 for coyotes and a .243 for the bigger wolfs

slabuda

June 3, 2013, 11:35 PM

What kind of varmint??

They come in numerous sizes & ranges.
Ranging from a few ounces to close to 50 pounds.
And from a few yards to 500+ yards.

And each requires a different caliber for optimum performance.

rc

I agree with this.

Having said that Ill also separate Varmints and Predators. Although both have calibers that overlap.

I like the V-Max bullet for most things but may not be my first choice for a wolf.

The .204 ruger is from what I hear VERY pelt friendly and flat shooting but may not be the right choice for Yotes and long distance in the wind. .223, .22-250 and .220 swift have been getting it done for so long can you go wrong with any of them?

I have had a .223 Vanguard and traded it in on a 6.5 creedmoor for long range youtes and wolves, and also as a back up for deer. I still ave an AR so have the ability to save pelts on yotes and bobcats (hopefully) if needed.

The creedmoor is amazingly accurate at range, bucks the wind and hits hard to drop a yote in his tracks at any distance and should do for any wolf here in Idaho.

I guess the ideal varmint round would be one that is light on recoil, relatively in expensive to shoot, bucks the wind and has down range energy. Pretty hard to choose an ideal. Hard to beat .223/.22-250, .243, .17 HMR etc for availability and ease of acquiring ammo (in normal times) just to name a few. Sure I could use 110gr V-Max in my .270 WSM but how long would the barrel last ad would I want to shoot high volume of it in a sitting? A .338 Win Mag would work too but why? Even if you reload you get very little out of a lb of powder.